No Weapons

Sometimes I think we don’t realize how at one moment we are doing the right thing – encouraging (putting courage in to), building up, and inspiring; the next moment our words are used to discourage (take courage out of), tear down, and belittle.

We are . . .

. . . quick to criticize,

. . . quick to slander,

. . . quick to judge.

Weapon words are flung without first bringing every thought captive to the throne of God.

Weapon words are hurled without thinking about what it does to the heart of the hearer.

Isaiah 45:17 tells us that no weapon formed against us will prosper. The other morning after hearing of weapon words launched against some people I love, and losing a couple of hours of sleep over it, I began praying that no weapons formed against this part of the body would prosper.

We are so quick to shoot our own.

We cut ourselves and watch ourselves bleed.

We sometimes amputate parts of our own body.

SHAME. ON. US.

I Peter 3:8-9 says that we are to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Then it says “Do NOT repay evil for evil, or insult for insult; we are to BLESS others, for to this we are called, so that we may obtain a blessing.

I could give you the definition of every word, but I’m only going to give one.

The (Greek) definition for NOT is this:

NO (not surprising)*

NOT (obviously)*

GOD FORBID (are you kidding me??)*

GOD FORBID that we should insult, that we should use weapon words or

weapon looks (ah-oh) against our brothers and sisters.

GOD FORBID.

His words, not mine.

Father, my heart hurts for those at the target end of weapons fired. But it also hurts for those who shoot because they have hurts of their own. We all hurt. Thank you that when I started calling names out to You for You to bless, You were quick to calm my heart. Quick to give me peace. To let me go back to sleep. I love that about You. Let me be eager to love, eager to encourage, eager to bless. I pray that no weapon formed against this body will prosper. Thank You for the work You are doing in spite of us. You never stop amazing me with the way You work.

I’m so very blessed.

* my own thoughts of each definition

This is Your Testimony

I need to be studying for the retreat this weekend. Studying and buying groceries and many other things but I cannot get the scripture out of my mind that we studied Monday night.

We were in Psalm 129 and 130. In verse 3 of chapter 129 it says that "the plowers plowed upon my back, they made long their furrows". One of the definitions of plow is "to cut in". The last several weeks (months) I've heard of countless stories from women going through really tough stuff. Some of you are dealing with unfaithful husbands, some with suicidal family members, and some with grief. Many of you feel that your backs are laid open by the enemy, bleeding and torn up. You feel beat up, abused, and abandoned. The pain is excruciating.

In verse 4 of the same chapter it says that the Lord is righteous, that He has cut the cords of the wicked. My mind went to the whip (cords) used to lay open the back of Jesus. He knows your pain. He feels every long furrow. Because of that, He can walk you through healing.

The Lord laid on my heart that for all these precious daughters going through so much pain that you are to be encouraged to keep your focus on Jesus.

This is your testimony.

There is a pure holy seed being planted into the furrows and you have to stay grounded in the One Who will harvest that seed for His glory. The enemy wants to plant salty, poky weeds that choke out the fruit of your testimony.

Through this time you will either bring Him honor or bring Him dishonor.

Let the One you honor be your defender.

Want to know the other definition of plow? To "engrave". Ooh boy, my brain jumped to Isaiah 49:16 where it says that He has engraved me on the palm of His hand. Every time He goes to the Father on my behalf, with His hands open, He sees my name engraved, plowed, cut into the palm of His hand.

See? He knows our pain. He's felt it. Trust Him to make something beautiful out of it. It's your testimony.

God, You really, really amaze me.